Schonbrunn castle and the attached zoo was the goal today.  When you first arrive the size of the castle is striking.  The inner courtyard would cover a 2 block by 3 block area.  We will post a picture, but I doubt the scale of the whole thing can be imagined without seeing it.  We decided not to go inside the castle instead we wandered the grounds for awhile and enjoyed the amazing gardens. 

Within the castle grounds is one of the best zoos in Europe, so we decided to take a look.  It was really impressive too, a great set up for a zoo with various levels and a well thought out plan.  Below you will see a picture of the Dalmatian Pelican which was really huge (the sign says up to 15kg).  Here is your travel tip for the day, if you ever decide to visit Schonbrunn castle make sure you buy your tickets at the zoo, not the front gate.  At the gate the line would have taken 2-3 hours, there were only 10 people lined up at the zoo.  Show up early however, there is a LOT to see!  (The zoo includes a beer garden, I love the Austrians!)

We did try one of the weirdest treats ever at the zoo.  When we saw them we thought they were ice-cream cones (like Dairy Queen), but they were incredibly light.  We had to find out what they were (our German is not good enough to read the signs) so we tried it.  Turns out they are fluffed marshmallow dipped in chocolate.  What a sugar rush!  Yikes!

Tomorrow we finish exploring Vienna and then fly to London in the evening.  Don’t expect a post until Saturday!

Schonbrunn Castle Main Courtyard

This is NOT ice cream!

Giant Pelicans!

Monkey at Schonbrunn Zoo